CZ
Former President Trump issued a pardon for Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao while a federal civil lawsuit filed by 306 victims and family members accuses the exchange of facilitating $1 billion in terror financing tied to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.
A $1 billion lawsuit accuses Binance and CEO Changpeng Zhao of financing the October 7 attack, alleging the exchange ignored warning signs for years and allowed suspicious accounts to operate. The filing intensifies scrutiny on exchange controls and who ultimately owned those accounts.
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao mocked Jim Cramer after the CNBC host’s recent Bitcoin rant, provoking laughter across the crypto community. The exchange chief’s public reaction on Nov 22 highlighted the ongoing clash between mainstream pundits and crypto advocates.
CZ will not return to Binance, attorney Teresa Goody Guillén said, and he plans to focus on projects outside the exchange. Ongoing U.S. regulatory scrutiny is effectively preventing his reentry into the company’s leadership.
Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao said the exchange may re-enter the U.S. market if the $4.3 billion fine is reversed, and suggested those funds could instead be used for investments inside the United States.
On Nov. 14, 2025, analysts, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao and asset manager Bitwise pushed back on bearish claims after Bitcoin slid below $100,000, calling the drop a short-term pullback rather than the start of a crypto winter.
Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao denied any involvement in a wallet exploit tied to Hyperliquid, saying observers misread on-chain activity. Hyperliquid is investigating while CZ warned against spreading unverified claims.
In his first in-depth interview since receiving a presidential pardon, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao said he was surprised by the clemency and firmly denied any interactions or deals with Donald Trump or his family. The statement aims to calm markets, but regulatory scrutiny and reputational questions remain.